Vayssierea felis

Vayssierea felis is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Okadaiidae.[2]

Vayssierea felis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia

clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea

clade Doridacea
Superfamily:
Polyceroidea
Family:
Okadaiidae
Genus:
Vayssierea
Species:
V. felis
Binomial name
Vayssierea felis
(Collingwood, 1881).[1]

Description

This red-orange nudibranch can grow up to 6mm in size.[3] It reproduces by direct development and lays an egg mass of 3-5 eggs.[3]

Range

This species was originally named in the South China sea, however many argue that all Vayssierea are one species with a wider range that occurs in the Indo-West Pacific.[3][4] It has also recently been documented in its non-native range in San Diego, CA.[5]

Habitat

This species can be found in the intertidal zone, usually associated with the Spirorbis tube worms they eat.[3]

Ecology

V. felis feeds on Spirorbis tube worms in the intertidal zone.

Taxonomy

This species, originally found in the South China Sea, was named Trevelyana felis by Collingwood, in 1881. It genus was later changed when more information was discovered. The exact taxonomic placement of this organism is still debated and many people believe that all Vayssierea spp. should be under this one species name.[3]

References
  1. "The Sea Slug Forum - Vayssierea felis". Archived from the original on 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  2. "The Sea Slug Forum - Tambja sagamiana". Archived from the original on 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  3. Rudman, W.B., 2000 (April 12) Vayssierea felis (Collingwood, 1881). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/vaysfelis
  4. Vayssierea felis (Collingwood, 1881) in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset doi:10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2021-05-18.
  5. Sorensen, Kara, Brandon Swope, and Victoria Kirtay. Marine ecological index survey of San Diego Bay. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATER RESEARCH PROJECT WESTMINSTER, 2013.


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